Symbolism Literary Analysis
As Leo Tolstoy once said, “Wrong does not cease to be wrong just because the majority share in it.” This is exactly what happened while the boys were attempting to survive on the island. As some became savage-like, nobody had the individual thought to defy them. They all became sucked into the tribe of barbarism. This is the theme that Golding portrays: as one wanders away from what is undisputably good, their attitude about what is right and what is wrong will falter and fade. Symbolism is the most prevalent literary element in developing this theme in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.
First, there are some examples of symbolism regarding the boys’ attempt to retain civilization as they continue their survival on the island. One of these examples is the length of their hair. As each of the boys survives on the island and loses their innocence, their hair grows to an uncomfortable length; except Piggy. “[Piggy] was the only boy on the island whose hair never seemed to grow” (Golding 64). Piggy’s attempts to retain his sanity and manners are not in vain, he remains as unchanged as his hair. Their hair reflects the boys’ attitude on the island as they become less mature and more barbaric. Eventually, each boy starts to discard any sort of manners, rules, or just general peacekeeping ideas; that they most definitely learned growing up in arguably the most civilized country in the world: Great Britain. This demonstrates immense symbolism, as well
On the island free from authority the boys lost their identity and direction. Left alone, the boys were free to do as they please and ran wild. Their actions on the island represented the
confide in the conch and when the conch is held up, it is a sign of
William Golding, winner of the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature, argues in his 1954 book Lord of the Flies that humans are evil in nature. He uses multiple symbols to define what savagery really is and how it can affect even the youngest of society. Some symbols, such as painted faces or a pig's head on a stick are used as shocking narrative tools but are necessary in order to portray these children as ruthless monsters. Golding’s use of painted faces does symbolize that when there is anonymity, humans will commit atrocious acts, especially if they are in a position of power.
Oftentimes authors will use symbolism through the characters in order to represent a larger encompassing theme. William Golding’s book Lord of the Flies is no exception to this pattern—as various characters in the book have such allegorical meanings. In the case of Jack, he could be said to represent the evilness in humanity, proven by three established concepts in the story: the true nature of his hunting tendencies, the progression of events that happen in his dancing rituals, and his interactions towards other symbolic figures. These three reasons, furthered by evidence shown throughout the novel, fit Jack into a role of symbolic evilness (add something here).
In William Golding’s “Lord Of The Flies” Novel, symbolism is a very important element of the book, Many symbols show how the boys on the island are slowly becoming savage and losing their civility.
Fear and Symbolism make up a big part of the Lord of the Flies book. They co-exist amazingly in this book. Symbols appear everywhere in the book, from the conch to the beast, they all symbolize a part of our life today.
William Golding kills off everything important to survival and by this he means that the world is doomed. So many significant objects are broken by the end of the book, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, which is a novel about a bunch of inexperienced boys being trapped together on an island and are forced to find means of survival. There are a lot of symbols in this book that all represent the only way they can survive. Each symbol represents a piece of the world and how it functions. Without all of these pieces, the world can’t function. William Golding clearly shows that the world is doomed by one by one killing off all of the objects and symbols that keep them sane and alive.
The novel Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding is a very iconic book in my opinion. This novel consists mostly of symbolism. Lord of the Flies talked about the relationship of teenage boys who survived a plane crash together. The boys are all on their own and struggling. They encounter many incidences that comply symbolism. A couple of the acts of symbolism are the beast the boys kept imagining, Piggy’s glasses, and the conch. The boys are all afraid of the beast, Piggy’s glasses demonstrate the fact that he saw everything more clear then the boys and how he started the fire. Lastly, the last of the most important symbolisms in the novel is the conch, showing the civilization and order.
The symbols in the Lord of the Flies all change meaning throughout the novel. As the boys change and develop, the symbols change with them. Some may become more positive or more negative and some may change meaning completely. Ralph, Piggy, and Jack all adjust to being stranded on the island differently and therefore react to and treat the objects on the island differently. With Jack’s development into savagery throughout the novel, his carelessness is evident in his lack of acknowledgement of symbols that are important to Ralph and Piggy who look at this experience more logically and optimistically. One symbol that changed dramatically throughout the novel is the fire. The fire in the Lord of the Flies is introduced as a symbol for hope, develops into destruction and is finalized as a representation of salvation.
William Golding's Lord of the Flies is a novel about a group of English school boys who are stranded on a tropical island after their plane has been attacked and crashes during World War II. In the beginning, the boys like being on their own without adults. The boys separate into two groups, led by Jack and Ralph. Jack is obsessed with hunting, and he and his group pay do not pay attention. Ralph is concerned about keeping a rescue fire lit so they will have a chance to be rescued, but no one else seems too concerned about it. At least one ship passes by without noticing the boys on the island. Things on the island deteriorate into chaos and savagery. Jack and his tribe are consumed with hunting and
In Lord of the Flies, written by William Golding, a group of boys from ages 6 to 14 became stranded on an island in a plane crash. They do not know how long they are going to be there or who is going to rescue them. The boys have to figure out a way to survive until they are rescued. Symbolism is used many different times throughout the novel. Symbolism is something that has a way to present something else shown in either text or image. It fits into literature by giving symbols to show a story. Throughout the story, the author mentions symbols such as the conch and the painted faces. The reader can figure out what these symbols represent from clues given in the text.
"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast . . . Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! You knew, didn’t you? I'm part of you?" (Golding, 143) Symbolism is used to represent something of a deeper meaning. This quote represents the beast, which is one of the many symbols along with the conch shell and war paint presented in the novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. This essay will explore the different symbols utilized to give William Golding’s novel a deeper meaning.
These boys were grown up sheltered in England, and they cannot handle exposure to living on their own. Piggy’s glasses are a symbol of the loss of innocence. The glasses at first worked for a good purpose, and represents a loss of innocence when they are cracked (Martin). Many of the boys forget about their morals and morality right after the crash. For example Jack and his gang can no longer notice a moral code where killing is wrong (Novels for students 183). Jack and his gang begin to call themselves a tribe and chant, “Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the Pig! Cut his throat!” (Golding 114). This shows their lost of innocence because they officially become savages that enjoy killing. When the boys are stranded on the island, they act like kids. They enjoyed their freedom, but at the same time were scared and homesick. However, at the end of the book, they attack, torment, and even kill each other without any delay or remorse. For example Roger did not hesitate to throw the rock and Piggy and send him to his death Ralph is a very optimistic person at the beginning of the novel, and toward the end he loses hope in any kind of rescue. This shows their loss of innocence as well because Ralph is one of the only hopeful ones and now he “wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of a man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy”
Lord of the Flies has symbols throughout the story, each character brings a different point of view. Piggy, Ralph, and Jack take a leading role with all the boys, although they vote Ralph in charge both of the other boys take a leadership position. Goulding uses the boys to show the faults of mankind and the roots of all evil. Four symbols Goulding used in the novel were: Piggy’s glasses, the Conch Shell, The Beast, and Simon’s hiding place. Therefore, the symbols show the true character of the boys who are stranded on an island.
Lord of the Flies: William Golding has said that his novel Lord of the Flies was symbolic from the beginning until the end when the boys are rescued. During the course of the novel these symbols are constantly changing, giving us a new interpretation of the island society.